Cake-forming machine.



No. 822,568. y PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906., 4

E. B. ANDERSON. CAKE FORMING MACHINE.

uruon'lon funn Aue.4.1no5. A Y

4 snnn'rs-snnn'r 1.'

No. 822,568. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

E. B. ANDERSON. CAKE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGA, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

110.822,56@ A PATENTBDJUNE5,1906.

" B.B.A NDERsoN.

GAKE PORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1905.

I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

ANo. 822,568.

E. B. ANDERSON. CAKE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGA. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNrrin) STATES PATENT )F F l( 1E.

CAKE-FORMING MACi-imE.

Specification of Letters Patent.'

Patented J une 5, 1906.

' Application ned lingua 4,1905. Serin No. 272,749.

`lle il known that l, lCLLls BRYAN ANDER- soN, a citizen of the lUnitedStates, residing al Demopolis, in the county of l\larengo and Slate ofAlabama, have invented new and useful kImprovements in Fake-FormingMachines, of which the following is a specilicailull.

lhis invention relates lo cake-forming machines.

'lhe invention may be advantageously used in several connections, one ofwhich is for molding cotton-seed meal into cakes preparator)r toexpressing oil therefrom. By the machine l can form these cakes withrapidity and uniformity.

The invention includes other objects and advantages which, with theforegoing, will be set forth at length in the following description,while the novelty of said invention will bc included in the claimssucceeding said description.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification Iillustrate a form of embodimentl of the invention which I will set forthin detail in the description to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation. Fig. 3 1s a front elevation. Fig. 4

is a rear elevation of a machine including my invention: Fig. 5 vis adetail perspective view of the valve. Fig. 6 is a sectional detailperspective view of the valve-casing.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout all the figures of thedrawings'.

The framework involves in its make-up a base or bed, as 2, and sidemembers, as 3, rising therefrom. These parts may be united together inany desirable manner-for example, by bolts.

To supply the cotton-seed meal to a charging or feed device for thecake-forming mech-l anisln, any sultable means may be provided. For thispurpose I have shown a hopper 4. 'lhe hopper 4 is represented as beingin two suitably-connected sections, the lower of which may, as shown, bemade integral with the plates 5, which extend rearward therefrom andwhich are provided at their rear ends with downwardly-offset* portions,as 6, resting upon a table, hereinafter described, extending between andsupported by the members 3. The t'wo offset portions may be fastened tothe table in any desirable way, as

' lower toggle member.

by bolts. .Extending laterally from the. plates 5 areshown partialsleeves 7, the parts being ordinarily made integral. In fact l may eastwith said plates the platen S, hereinafter more particularly described.ln order to more securely uphold the hopper, the two plates 5, and theparts associated therewith, l' represent. columns, as E), rising fromthe base. The feet of these columns are stepped in bearings upon thebase and they extend near their heads through the partial sleeves 7, thelatter resting upon annular shoulders upon the columns. Surrounding thecolumns above the partial sleeves 7 and threaded thereon are nuts, as10, the said nuts bearing against said partial sleeves.

The platen 8, to which I have briefly alluded, constitutes part of thecake-forming mechanism, the other part thereof consisting of a box ortray, as 11, movable with respect to the platen and the sides of whichare open, so that the end portions 'of the press-cloth can hang downfrom said sides. The box or tray in which the cake is really formed issupported upon an oscillatory swinging carrier consisting in the presentcase of complemental levers 12, arranged in parallelism and forup-and-down motion. The fulcrum for these levers is denoted by 13. andconsists of a shaft extending transversely of the machine and supportedby thc frame members 3 near their upper rear corners. The box or tray 11 is fastened, as by bolts, to upwardly-extending portions at the freeor forward ends of the two levers, bolts serving as a simple means tounite the box and levers. The box and the two levers present a structureof substantially yoke form.

To impart the working or up stroke to the box or tray 11, whereby itwill be caused to approach the platen 8 to form the mass of meal in thebox into the necessary compact state, I show a' toggle, the upper memberbeing denoted by 14 and the lower by 15. The upper toggle member ispractically of H form, its side branches being suitably jointed to theunder surface of the box or tray near the opposite sides thereof.Thelower toggle member is substantially of H form, its side brancheslbeing connected to the side branches of the upper toggle member by ashaft, as 16, which shaft also extends through an arm, as 17, extendingupward from the The latter is jointed IOC IIO

to bearings in some suitable way upon-the upper side of the base. As thetoggle is straightened, as will hereinafter more particularly appear,the lbox or tray 11 is elevated, and by reason of the tog fle described-I apply equal pressure thereto throughout its entire extent. I produce,in effect, a double toggle operatively connected, the result being thatthe cakeI formed is of absolutely uniform thickness, which is a featureof considerable importance. In addition to this the toggle describedpossesses unusual strength.

The platen 8 has its under side or working face upon a slant or angle,by virtue of which it can secure proper uniform compression of the massin the box as the latter approaches upon an angle the platen, the latterentering the box when the up er working stroke of the latter is completeIn view of the fact that the box is upon an oscillatory carrier I cansecure a high degree of compression without undue power, although by atoggle mechanism such as that described I can secure a high degree ofcompression, the compression by virtue of the mechanism hereinafterdescribed for straightening the toggle progressively increasing as thebox or tray 11 rises. When the box or tray 11 is in its charge-receivingor ineffective position, the to gle composed of the members 14 and 15wil be exed, as indicated in Fig. 1, said box or tray 11 at this timeresting upon the upper forward side of the framework or side members 3thereof. When the actuating agent for the toggle mechanism is throwninto action, the toggle will be at once straightened, so that the box ortray will be elevated upon an arc struck from the center of the twolevers 12, the latter being of course swung upward. When the togglemembers are nearly straight, the platen will enter the upper open sideof the box or tray, and as the nal movement of the toggles toward theirstraightened relation is continued the mass in the box will be given apowerful and uniform pressure, so as to dp roperl compact the cake intothe desired ensity or subsequent advantageous handling. I

Extending between the tops of and suitably associated with the sidemembers 3 of the framework is a stationary table, as 18, the forwardside of which (and upon which forward side a charging device,'as 19,reciprocates) constitutes the effectivel portion, a cylinder, as 20,being set into a longitudinal groove located to the rear of the hopper4. The cylinder is fastened in place in an desirable way. The chargingdevice is slaown as consisting of a rectangular box open at its top andbottom and which when in its rearward position, as indicated in Fig. 2,has its opening registeringwith the outlet of the ho er 4, so thatmaterial can descend from t e opper into the char ing device and ontothe eHective portion of t e table, which eHective portion, as will beunderstood, is horizontally disposed.

In Fig. 1 the parts are represented as being in their norma positions,the cake box or tray 11 resting upon the framework and thechargingdevicel 19 beingin its backward position, in which position itis also represented in Fig. 2. In said Figs. 1 and 2k it will beunderstood that the charging device is full of' meal and that the tra isin its normal position, as shown in sai Fig. 1. It should be stated atthis point that when the tray or box 1 1 is in its normal position itsup er edge is in the plane of the upper edge of t e table. It thereforefollows that when the charging device .is advanced with the box or trayin its normal position the contents of said charging device will bepushed along the forward side of the table and into the tray, so thatwhen the charging device has completed its working stroke it will havesu plied to the box or tray 11 a mass of materiafsufficient to form acake of the requisite size. As the charging device is moved rearward itsweeps off surplus material and smooths off the top of the mass in thebox or tray 11. Extending rearward from the upper rear side of thecharging device and of equal width therewith is a cutoff 21,horizontally dis osed. When the charging device is moved forward, thecut-off is carried under the delivery end of the hopper 4, so as toprevent material therein dro ping therefrom onto the table 18 when the carging device is forward of its normal position. The cut-off 21 isoperative throughout the entire movement of the charging device.Extending downward from the opposite sides of the cut-off 21 areflanges, as 22, ,provided with ribs, as 23, adapted to traverse groovesin the guidelates 24, fastened to and rising fromn the si e members 3between their front and rear ends. The ribs and grooves may be ofdovetailed form, if desired.

It will be remembered that I have mentioned briey a cylinder 20. In thiscylinder is mounted for reciprocatory movement a piston 25, the rod 26of which is shown as connected with the charging device 19. The piston25 is shown as being at the end of its rear stroke in Fig. 2. When it ispropelled Aforward to the limit of its movement, the

charging device through the intermediate rod is advanced so as to carrya mass of meal into the cake-box or tray 11. When the vpiston isreturned to its primary position, in

which it is shown in Fig; 2, it returns the charging device to a placeunder the hopper, so as to receive a fresh supply of meal. I willdescribe hereinaftermeans for sup lying steam to the cylinder to causethe baelg-andforth motion of the piston therein. I might state at thispoint'that the agent for operating the piston 25 back and forth may beof any suitable kind. 'I find steam to be a satisfactory medium forsuchpurpose and for also operating in a forwar direction a secondpiston, as 27, movable back and forth in a IOO IIO

l reached tral perforation in it and also second cylinder, as 28, shownlocated below the first-mentioned cylinder. '.lhe cylinder 28, however,is mounted for rocking motion, it "having at its opposite sidestrunnions or stub-shafts, as 29, supported for rocking motion bybearings upon the base 2 of the ina-- chine. The rod for thesecondpiston is designated by 30, and it is connected with the togglehereinbefore described at the joint of the two members 14 and 15thereof. rI`he shaft 16, which connects said toggle members, is shown asextending through the outer end of the iston-rod 30 for such purpose. Byvirtue o the mounting of the lower cylinder in a swin fing manner thesame can be bodily elevated as the toggle composed of the members 14 and15 is being straightened by the power of the advancing piston 27, sothat in this way the progressively-increasing pressure upon the mass 1nthe box or' tray is assured as the said toggle straightens. The piston27 in the present case is moved only in a forward direction-by steam oran equivalent fluid, while the piston 25 is moved in opposite directionsby such agent, be it steam or its equivalent.

The piston 27 is shown as retracted by spring means, a single spring 31being shown for the purpose. This spring encircles the rod 30 and bearsat one end against the cap 31 and at its opposite end against a collar32, fastened to the rod 30. The cap 31l is represented as fastened to atube or cylinder 33, having a closed inner end, which is fastened to oneend of the cylinder 28. The closed end of the tube or cylinder 33constitutes really the inner or forward head of the cylinder 28, and therod 30 extends through a centhrough an alined perforation in the cap 31.When the piston 27 is moved forward and it is shown as occupying itsextreme forward position in Fig. 2, it,

the toggle, composed of the two members 14 and 15, so as to secure theelevation of the box or tray 11. As the piston is moved forward itplaces the spring 31 under compression, the maximum compression beingwhen the piston is at its extreme forward position. When, therefore,steam is exhausted from back of the piston 27 the spring by relaxingreturns the piston to its original position, the toggle being iiexed bythe power of the spring. As soon as the toggle is exed the box or traycan fall by its weight, augmented by the weight of the levers againstthe frame, thereby aiding .the spring. The downward movement, however,of the box or tray is checked, and I will describe the means illustratedfor securing this advantageous result. The collar 32, in addition toserving as such, also servesas an auxiliary piston, for it will be seenthat it traverses the inner surface of the auxiliary cylinder or tube 33as the piston 27 moves as will be understood, straightens back andforth. The said auxiliary cylinder or tube 33 has an opening controlledby an inwardly-opening check-valve 34, said cylinder or tube 33 alsohaving an air-vent 35, serving its customary purpose. 'As the piston 27is moved forward the collar or piston 32 will be simultaneouslyadvanced, and when said collar or piston has uncovered the openingcontrolled by the check-valve said collar or piston draws into theauxiliary cylinder or tube 33. air, which air is utilized to check thereturn movement of the piston or collar 32 and necessarily of the partswhich move therewith, one of which is the box or tray, as will beevident. The vent 35 provides for the discharge of air from theauxiliary cylinder 33 in a slow manner, so that the checking actionindicated is assured.

In the form of the device illustrated I show a single valve forcontrolling the supply ol' steam to and the exhaust thereof from b`othcylinders 2() and 28. The valve represented for the purpose isdesignated by 36, it being of the disk form, and being mounted forturning movement in a casing, as 37, mounted in some fixed manner upon aflange depending from the rear of the table 18. The valve is shownprovided with a head 38, connected therewith by a neck, and arranged toturn in a recess in the inner wall of the casing. By the constructiondescribed the valve is balanced, for steam fills the casing in the spacebetween the valve and its head 38. I have shown a stem 39 as extendingforward from the head the entire length of the machine and as having atits extreme forward end an operating device, such as a hand-crank orlever 40, fastened thereto in any desirable way. The said stem near itsextreme forward end is supported by a bearing-sleeve 41 extendingoutward from a plate 42, fastened to the forward side of the frameworkor to a cross-plate connecting the upper forward sides of the framemembers 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In the outer wall of the valve-casing 37 are four ports 43, 44, 45, and46. From the port 43 a pipe 47 extends and leads to the outer end of thecylinder 20. From the port 44 a pipe 48 leads to the forward or innerend of said cylinder. From the port 45 a pipe 4S) leads to the front endof the cylinder 28. From the port 46 the pipe 5() extends and opens intothe atmosphere. The valve moves through half of a circle, its limits ofmotion being indicated when the hand-crank 40 strikes diametricallyopposite pins, as 51 and 52, on the disk 51a rigid with thebearingsleeve 41 The disk and sleeve may be readily made integral. Thecrank is shown in Fig. 3 as being in its normal position. When it isswung down to the left in said ligure and' strikes the stop 51 and thenreturned, the charging device 19 will during such niotion be first movedforward and then back- IOO ITO

ward. When the crank is swung downward to the right and onto thestop-pin 52, the piston 27 is operated so as to secure the formation 'ofa cake from the mass of lneal in the box or tray 11, as previouslyindicated. The three ports 43, 45, and 46 are equal distances from thecenter of motion of the valve. The port 44 is nearer said center,however, land the reason for this will hereinafter appear.

Extending through the valve are two ports 54 and 55, the port 54 beingthe same distance from said center as the orts 43, 45, and 46 and theport 55 being t 1e same distance from said center as said port 44. Thereason for this will hereinafter appear. In the inner face of the valveare formed two exhaust-channels 56 and 57. The exhaustchannel orpassage`56 consists of twoconcentri-c' portlons 56 and 56h, connected bya substantially radial neck. The portion 56a is upon a greater radiusthan the portion 56h, but is of the same Vradius as the channel 57 andis also the saure distance from the center of motion of the valve as theports 43, 45, and 46. The portion 56b is the same distance from' thecenter of motion of saidl valve as the port 44.

It will be assumed that the tray or box 11 -is resting upon theframework, that both c linders 20 and 28 are free of steam, and tiat thecharging device 19 is in its backward position, full of meal and underthe sup ly-hopper 4. To charge the box or tray with) a supply ofmaterial, the hand-crank 40 will be swung down to the left, in Fig. 1,until it strikes the stop-pin 51. This will bring the port 54 in thevalve 36 into register with. the port 43, whereby steam from thevalvecasing can How into the pipe 47 to be supplied to the rear or outerend of the upper cylinder 20. When steam enters said cylinder, thepiston 25 therein is advanced to its extreme forward position, so as tothrough the rod 26 move the charging device to a position over the boxor tray in order to suppl the latter with a mass of material from W 'c acake may be subsequently formed. When the crank 40 is upon said stop-pin51 and when the ports 54 and 43 are in register, one end of the portion56b of the compound exhaust channel or passage 56 will be incommunication with the port 44, While the portion 56 of saidchannel willextend across the ort 46, so that the cylinder 20, forward of tliepiston 25, will be in uninterrupted communication with the atmosphere topermit the free advance motion of the piston therein. When the crankreaches a point midway between the stop-pin 51 and its verticalposition, the port 55 will be put into register with the port 44, sothat steam can pass from the valve-casing into the pipe 48 and enter theinner or forward end of the c linderv 20 and forward of the piston 25tlierein. Simultaneously the greater radial saass portion 56u of thecompound exhaust-channel will bridge the ports 43 and 46, so'as toypermit the piston to be driven rearward b y the live steam entering thecylinder by way of the pipe 48. The exhaust-steam to the 4rear of saidcylinder will enter the pipe 47, then the portion 56a of the com oundchannel 56, then the port46, and fina ly the exhaust-pipe 50. It willtherefore be evident that as the crank swings down and is returned thepiston 25 is movedv forward and then backward in its cylinder 20 andthat the exhaust is properly taken care of, what is one supply-pipe atone time being at the next perio an exhaust-pipe.

It will be assumed that the piston 25 has been moved forward and thenback to charge the box or tray 11 with a supply of meal. To form themeal into a cake, it 1s necessary, as previously indicated, to elevatethe box or tray so that the mass of material therein will be carriedagainst the 4platen 8. To secure the elevation of the tray or box 11,the crank 40 is swun down toward the right in Fig. 3 untilit stri es thepin 52. Y This willput the port 54 in register with the vport 45, sothat steam can iiow from the valve-casing 37 into the pipe 49 and canenter the forward side of the ower cylinder 28 to drive the piston 27therein forward. When the crank 1s moved to its vertical position fromoff the pin 52 and when it has moved half the distance, theexhaust-channel 57 will be caused to bridge the ports 45 and 46, so as`to permit the steam back of the piston 27 to iiow out of the ipe 49 intothe channel 57 into port 46, and Finally into the pipe 50, Where 1t canreach the atmosphere. twill be understood that as soon as either one ofthe ports 54 or 55 is moved out of register with any of the ports 43,44, and 45 the' supply of steam to said orts is at once cut 0H.Ordinarily a cloth is ibid in the tray or box 11 with equal lengths ofthe ends hanging down, the meal being fed,

onto this cloth by the charging device.

As previously stated, I have set forth in detail the construction of themachine illustrated in the drawings for the purpose of enabling thoseskilled in the art to practice the invention. It will be obvious thatmaterial variations as to a number of features may be made within thescope of my claims. At opposite ends of the cylinder 2O I show by-passpi es, as 60, each equipped with a check-y This construction providesfor the va ve. cushioning of the piston 25 when the same issubstantially at the opposite ends of its stroke, whereby injury tothepart 19 will be prevented.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a machine ofthe class described, cake-forming mechanism involving a` movable member,an oscillatory carrier for said movable member, and means for actuatingIOO IIO

the latter said carrier being supported independently of said actuatingmeans.

.2. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving a Inovably-mounted member, a pivotally-mounted swinging devicefor carrying said movable member, and means for actuating the lattersaid carrier being supported independently of said actuating means.

3. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanism involvinga movably-mounted member, a pair of levers supported b v the frameworkof the machine, for carrying said movably-mounted member and connectedbyit, and means for actuating said movably-mounted member.

4. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanism involvinga movably-mounted member, a carrier forsaid movably-'mounted membersupported for oscillation by the framework of the machine., and a togglefor actuating said movably-mounted member to forma cake.

5. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanism involvinga movably-mounted member, an oscillatory carrier for the saidmovably-mounted member, and an act uating-toggle for saidmovably-mounted member, comprising two elements, each laterallyseparated andA operatively connected, one of the toggle elements beingconnected i with the under face of the movably-mountcd tion by theframework of the machine, a togmember near the opposite sides thereof.

6. In a lmachine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving a platen and a tray, adapted to move toward and from theplaten, an upper toggle member of substantially H shape, the branches ofwhich are jointed to the under side of the tray near the op osite endsthereof, and a lower substantla ly H-shaped toggle member connected withthe upper one', a shaft constituting a connection between the togglemembers, the transverse portion of the lower toggle member having anupwardly-extending arm through which said shaft passes, and means foroperating the toggle.

7. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanism involvinga movably-mounted member, a carrier for the movably -mounted membersupported for oscillagle, one member of which is connected with theniovably-mounted member, a cylinder supported for oscillation by theframework of the machine, and a piston in the cylinder adapted toactuate the toggle and thereby the movably-mounted member to form a care.

8. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanismcomprising a stationary laten and a movably-mounted tray, the wor ingface of the platen being upon a slant a carrier for the tray mounted topresent the tray angularly to the platen, a toggle connected with thetray and for actuating the ftray to form a cake, a swinging cylinder,and a piston in the cylinder to operate the toggle to cause the latterto actuate the tray in a direction to form a cake.

9. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanism, chargingmechanism therefor, fiuid-actuated means for operating the cake formingand charging mechanisms in sequence, means for supplying a fiuid to saidfluid-actuated means, and a single' valve for controlling the supply offluid to and the exhaust of such fluid from the said Huid-actuatedmeans. ff'

10. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving a tray, a toggle cooperative with thetray, mechanism foractuating the toggle to straighten it, a hopper, a charging devicelocated normally under thehopper and capable of advancing movement fromsaid normal position to supply the tray with material, a cut-off devicefor the hop ier, connected with the charging device, and mechanism foractuating the charging device.

11. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving a relatively stationary platen, and a movablymounted tray, theworking face of theplaten being upon a slant, an oscillatory carrier forthe tray, adapted to present the tray angularly to the platen, andmechanism for moving the tray toward and from the platen.

12. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanismVinvolving a relatively stationary platen and a movablymounted tray, theworking face of the platen being upon a slant, an oscillatory carrierfor the tray, adapted to present the tray angularly to the platen, atoggle connected with the tray, and mechanism for actuating the toggleto move the tray toward and from the platen.

13.y In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving a platen, the working surface ofwhich is upon a slant, and atray, a pair of parallel levers connected by the tray and constituting acarrier therefor, a toggle connected with the tray, and mechanism foractuating the toggle to move the tray toward and from the platen.

14. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving a relatively stationary platen and a tray or box, means forcharging the box with material, a toggle connected with the box, aswinging cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connected to thepiston and to the toggle at the joint of the members thereof, means foradmitting a fluid agent into the cylinder to advance the piston andcause the straightening of a toggle, a collar on the rod, and a springacting against the collar, said spring being adapted to be placed undercompression on the working movement of the piston,

IOO

whereby when the latter is freed of steam, the piston will be ,returnedto its retracted position by the power of the s rin 15. In a 'machine oft 1e c ass described, cake-forming mechanism involving a` platen and atray, the latter normally resting upon the framework, a ho per tocontain material, a table under the p aten, an open charging deviceadapted to be moved back andforth upon the table, and when in itsbackward position, to be su plied with material from -the hopper, and wen moved forward to carry the material'within it over the table into thetray, means for actuating the charging device, a cut-ofi for'the hopper,movable into its operative position as the charging1 device is advanced,a toggle for operating t e tray, a swinging cylinder, a piston in thecylinder, coperative with and adapted, on its advancing movement, tostraighten the toggle and move the tray from its normal positlon, and

means for admitting a fluid agent into the cylinder to cause the advanceof said piston.

16. In a machine of the class described, cake-forming mechanisminvolving two members, one movable relatively to the other, a chargingdevice for the said movably-mounted member, mechanism for actuating themovably-mounted member and charging dcvice, involving 'separatecylinders, pistons in the cylinders, a casing having four orts, pipesleading from two of the ports to tiieopposite ends oir one of thecylinders, pipes leading from the third port to one end of the othercylinder, a pipe leading from the fourth port to the atmosphere, a diskvalve' adapted to lmove against that face of the casing in which saidports are formed and having two orts through it, adapted to registerwith the ot er ports, and also having on one of its faces two concentric exhaust-channels adapted to coperate with said 'first-mentionedports, one of the channels being composed of two portions of differentradil and a neck connecting the same, and manually-controlled means foractuating the valve.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ELLIS B. ANDERSON..

Witnesses:

W. S. PROUT, L. C. LOWE.

